Sport can confirm that Advocate Hilton Epstein SC this week ruled against Lidoda Duvha in both matters brought before arbitration, while also ordering the club to pay costs.
Leopards, who were relegated from the Motsepe Foundation Championship two weeks ago, had approached arbitration arguing that the Premier Soccer League acted prematurely in enforcing a FIFA transfer ban.The club insisted in their heads of arguments that this was done long before the world football governing body had formally confirmed the club as the sporting successor of Cape Town All Stars, a term used when a team is deemed to have inherited another football identity and obligations.
The Limpopo outfit purchased All Stars’ National First Division status in 2023 in a bid to return to the second tier of SA football.
However, ahead of the 2025/26 season, the PSL withdrew Leopards’ player registration cards after taking the view that a FIFA ban imposed on All Stars extended to the club under the principle of sporting succession.
Leopards argued the decision left them unable to comply with the League’s U23 player regulations, forcing them to play four matches without a full squad against Casric Stars, University of Pretoria, Lerumo Lions and Leicesterford City.The club wanted those fixtures replayed, insisting the PSL had erred in recognising and applying the FIFA ban.
But the arbitrator found the PSL had acted lawfully and was obliged to implement FIFA’s decision.
Epstein also ruled that the sale agreement between All Stars and Leopards expressly made provision for the acquiring club to assume liabilities linked to the football club.
The ruling further found that Leopards delayed too long before challenging the registration ban and could not rely on “impossibility” as a defence for breaching the League’s U23 rule.
As part of the final order, the arbitrator upheld disciplinary sanctions against Leopards, including the forfeiture of points in fixtures involving University of Pretoria and Lerumo Lions.